Wales Head coach Sean Lynn has underlined the next steps for his squad after the early exit from the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.
Lynn, who has only been in charge of Wales for six months, is already planning to have a performance review with players and staff after England 2025.
The former Gloucester/Hartpury coach won three successive titles in England before he took the helm of his country.
He has already identified the key next steps with the cross-border Celtic Challenge tournament between two sides from Wales, Ireland and Scotland at the forefront.
Welsh Rugby Union contracted players who have registered with English clubs and who are not playing will have the opportunity to play regular rugby in Wales.
“We are in a tough place, there is no getting away from that,” said Lynn.
“All of us are part of the Welsh rugby family and all of the players, coaches and staff are proud Welsh people.
“We will have a robust review of the tournament, the tour of Australia and pinpoint what we need to get right as we head into the 2026 W6N campaign.
“We did record a first win against the Wallaroos on Australian soil in the summer and showed we have the talent to win Test matches.
“Fiji was arguably the game of the World Cup so far and we scored five tries, had one disallowed and created enough opportunities to win that game. So, we can see we have developed from the 2025 W6N campaign.”
Lynn blooded a host of young Welsh talent in Australia and in RWC 2025, with scrum half Seren Lockwood, backrower Branwen Metcalfe, lock Tilly Vucaj, who are all still teenagers, making their debuts for their country.
With another batch of the young guns to have experienced the Test match rugby environment, including the likes of lock Alaw Pyrs, 19, prop Maisie Davies, 20, hooker Molly Reardon, 21, full back Nel Metcalfe, 20, and backrower Bryonie King, 22, all playing at the World Cup.
All of those players have played Celtic Challenge rugby for Thunder or Lightning. Lynn believes the league holds the key to developing players and growing the strength in depth in his squad.
“The Celtic Challenge is key for us, and we have to be strategic about how Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning provides game-time for our players, “said Lynn.
“We need players to be regular playing rugby and not just training, so that means if they do not play for an English club, we want them to play in the Celtic Challenge.
“There is no substitute for playing regular games at the highest level possible and that will mean we will have players battle hardened and ready for the Six Nations.
“It will also put them in a better position to claim a place in the starting line-up for the Six Nations.
“Players who are not playing regular rugby in the PWR will be expected to play and train with one of the Celtic Challenge sides.
“We will hold regular coaching and S&C sessions at the NCE so we can monitor where players are and what support and guidance they need.
“One area we do intend to tackle is to increase the training load on WRU contracted players to mirror that of PWR clubs.
“We intend to be much more hands on with the Celtic Challenge and to be part of the strategy heading into the next Test match window.”
Wales face all the ‘Blues’ in the 2026 W6N campaign, kicking off against Scotland at the Principality Stadium, on Saturday, April 11, followed by France at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, April 18th and finishing off with Italy at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday, May 17.